Chase The Rabbit
by Konaxookami
Summary: When they first meet, it's at the Shatterdome, in the training program with dozens of other people who are supposed to be the best and the brightest. Haruka Tenoh is one of those best and brightest. Michiru Kaioh sticks out like a sore thumb among the soldiers, but no one questions her being there. They are the unlikeliest pair of drift compatible people at the base. And yet.


This has been sitting in my documents folder for at least half a year finished. I sort of wrote it on one of those crazy-'what if man' whims and it came out pretty darn good. However, since I've never really dealt with crossover fics I only posted it on my forum for people to see. Now though, since it's been so long since I've written any Hachiru, I felt like this would be as good a time as any to post it. (OWaS has hit a major block let me tell you…)

This works best if you've watched Pacific Rim and are familiar with the Russian pilots of Cherno Alpha. (You don't need to have seen the movie to read this though) I basically took my two favorite side characters out of Pacific Rim and placed a few of my favorite Sailor Moon characters there in their stead. I'm also horribly unoriginal with naming Jaegers-so enjoy the eye rolling-ly good name I gave their mount. Hopefully, this'll get some of you guys interested in watching Pacific Rim! (It's my super guilty pleasure action movie-since I normally hate action films that aren't superhero films) There are some slight spoilers-but nothing that will ruin the overall awesomeness that is the movie.

As usual I don't own any of these characters and I would never claim to.

* * *

When they first meet, it's at the Shatterdome, in the training program with dozens of other people who are supposed to be the best and the brightest. There are some she wouldn't have picked herself-but the words 'drift compatible' are a common defense for any people who look too frail to enter a Jaeger. She knows some of them from army boot camp. The Japanese pilots stick together, just as the pilots from the other nations do. They are one of the biggest group-given that their entire country is a coast waiting to be destroyed.

Haruka Tenoh is one of Japan's best and brightest. An athlete and a fighter. She signed up for this program with her boot camp partner Makoto. After their families were killed in the first attack on Tokyo Bay, they decided to dedicate their lives to killing the bastards that destroyed their homes.

When they train, they spar with a pair of swimmers. Two girls who have unusual hair and quiet demeanors. One is smarter than the other-the strategist, and the other is all coy smiles and sharp jabs. They are perfectly in sync in the pool-and even on ground the two work well. Haruka figures that they paired the two groups together because she and Makoto are aggressive and the Water Girls are calm and fluid.

The first time that Haruka and Makoto try to drift in a simulator-the result is jarring and damaging. Their minds fight over letting the other in. Haruka has a splitting headache for days. They are separated. Makoto lashes out at her.

"You won't allow anyone into your head Haruka. I can't drift with you if all you're gonna do is lock me out!"

They fight and Haruka regrets breaking Makoto's arm, but she doesn't regret their partnership ending. She worries for her position in the program. Without a partner she is nothing to them. No one can pilot a Jaeger alone. Makoto finds her staring out at the new Jaegers being built and she stands with her against the railing.

"They're sending all of us Japanese trainees to the Tokyo base. Shatterdome wants to focus on their pilots."

"What are we going to do?" Haruka's fingers tighten around the railing, "We aren't compatible. Mako, I _can't _get kicked out of this program."-_I've got nothing else._

They're silent for a few moments before Makoto speaks, toying with her cast as she does so.

"The swimmers-the ones we trained with? They failed their first drift too. I was talking with the shorter one. Ami," she pauses, "They could keep us in the program. I'll pair up with Ami. You pair up with her partner. That should keep us safe until they can find new people for us to work with."

Haruka frowns as she watches sparks fly from a steel plate being sealing to the chest of the Jaeger in front of her.

When they arrive in Tokyo, Makoto is no longer her bunk mate. She moves in with the girl called Michiru Kaioh. She listens to classical violin music and she sketches in a drawing pad when they aren't in training. She is soft in places that Haruka is hard. It is a week before they have their first dialogue.

"Remember. The two of you are not out to hurt each other-you are reading each other. First to 4 wins."

Meioh Setsuna-their division's head, is at the front of the training room, arms folded over her chest. She glares down at Haruka and Haruka winks back-remembering when Setsuna was nothing more than an overachieving officer in the army and they were friends. Setsuna rolls her eyes.

The bo staff is light in Haruka's grip as she circles the mat, and she watches Michiru run her fingers up and down the wood. She sees her shift her footing and Haruka takes a strong step forward-the staff flowing as an extension of her arm as she aims for Michiru's ribs. She did not expect Michiru's staff to intercept her blow. Nor did she except her feet to be swept from beneath her.

"One to zero."

Michiru's voice is smooth, like water. Her motions are just the same. Haruka sees the smugness in her eyes as she stands. She dislikes the way Michiru's lips curl up in a proud smile. She attacks this time with speed and Michiru's expression changes drastically. She freezes as Haruka's staff stops only a few centimeters from her forehead.

"One to One."

This time Haruka is smug and her grin irritates Michiru immediately.

"You two need to stop this pissing contest right now. Take this seriously Tenoh. You too Kaioh."

Setsuna's voice brings Haruka back to reality and she watches as Michiru sighs, pushing her bangs from her face. They ready themselves again and this time Haruka clears her mind of trying to be the bigger fighter. She catches Makoto's eye from the back of the room, and sees her nod. It was no different than sparring with Makoto. Clear the mind and then you can connect. Create a bridge.

This time when Michiru comes at her, Haruka is ready. She connects their staffs and they part. It turned into a dance where the two of them circle about each other, trading blows. Setsuna is calling out points but at this point all Haruka can see is Michiru, and all she can hear is Michiru, and _finally_ she sweeps her staff under Michiru's feet and she falls. She straddles her quickly and thrusts her staff towards Michiru's neck-stopping just before it hit.

"Four to Three. Well done Team 3."

There is quiet applause as the two combatants pant and Haruka raises herself from Michiru's body-offering a hand as she goes. Michiru takes it and she really is so much lighter than Haruka thought, but her hand tingles slightly at the contact.

"Perhaps we may be a team yet, Miss Tenoh."

Michiru's voice is quiet as the next pair takes the staffs from them. Haruka smiles, not letting go of Michiru's hand, "Perhaps we may."

They train together and Haruka learns that Michiru was once a violinist-a popular one-and that she was getting ready to start her first tour when Tokyo Bay was attacked. Haruka admits that she used to race cars before the incident. She leaves out her piano playing, but she knows Michiru sees the way her fingers twitch when they listen to old orchestra CDs. Michiru knows she used to be a musician. She doesn't pry though. She doesn't need to. The drift will explain everything.

When they finally drift, Haruka doesn't feel as anxious as she had when she and Makoto drifted. Michiru stands right beside her in the cockpit and she radiates calm.

"Activating handshake. Remember girls-do not chase the rabbits."

The handshake hits her hard. Suddenly she is seven and she has won her first nationwide track race. Then she is twelve and beginning to race dirt bikes. Fifteen and she is behind the wheel for the first time. Then the Tokyo Bay Attack. And then she sees Michiru-

A young girl born into privilege-expected to be a porcelain doll-she barely saw her parents. Finding refuge in the arts. Playing violin and suddenly Haruka feels the memory of her piano days boiling up to meet Michiru's and she can _feel_ Michiru's delight. She sees her face in Michiru's sketchbook and she notices how Michiru has been following her for some time. Emotions flicker through her eyes as Michiru feels them.

Trust. Loyalty. Affection. Compassion.

"Team 3, are you lucid?"

Haruka feels her conscious snap back to reality and she glances to Michiru and sees herself and it is a strange feeling. But her hand finds the com-link and presses it.

"We are clear. Ready to calibrate."

They pass their simulations with flying colors-they become the shining jewel of the Japanese program. Makoto and Ami transfer divisions to the research division and Haruka is happy for them. Setsuna tells them that their Jaeger is almost finished being constructed and while they wait, they sit and listen to music together-composing as they go.

It doesn't become a sexual relationship right away. Haruka keeps Michiru close-they are always touching somewhere-as if she's afraid she'll wander off. They share a bed and hold each other close-the people on base swear that they are having sex-But they only laugh and reply with teases.

"There she is ladies. Shaking Submerge. The first Jaeger to be able to skim the water's surface and channel water through her hull to use as an attack. Fastest Jaeger built."

Haruka stares up at their Jaeger in awe. She is sleek and powerful-a dark navy with cresting waves of aquamarine splashed across her arms and chest. She squeezes Michiru's hand and she is almost abuzz with excitement.

They officially graduate form the program in 2017-and are promptly sent out to deal with the Kaiju rearing their heads along the coast. They are quick and efficient. Haruka is their brawn-but Michiru is their brain and together they are nearly impossible to beat. Their kill streak grows every day and they are heroes to Japan-suddenly everywhere at once.

"Who knew beating up a few monsters would make us famous, mmm?" Haruka presses her chin over Michiru's head, staring out at their Jaeger, currently in repair.

"Well, I certainly figured that if we made it past our first mission we'd have some sort of acclaim," Michiru giggles and locks her fingers in Haruka's, "We're being sent out to defend that wall they're building next week."

"A wall? Idiots. Like the Kaiju are going to let a wall stop them. Well. We'll just have to prove that S.S. and her crew are better than some damn wall," Haruka growls, and Michiru's laughter soothes the growl to a small sigh, "We'll be fine."

It turns out-as if the Kaiju planned it-they attack as the work on the wall reaches a peak. Shaking Submerge is sent out and it is a long and tiring battle because the damn bastards just don't want to die.

One goes down in the first 5 hours. Setsuna asks if they need another crew to help them. Haruka tells her to go away. In the 11th hour they take down another that decided that Japan was a better target than China. Finally in the 18th hour, when Haruka isn't even sure if she's Haruka or Michiru, the final Kaiju goes down. They are out of weapons, power, and Haruka can barely feel her body. She looks at Michiru and her vision is blurry but her mind is so clear and it isn't really _her_ mind it's _their_ mind and they take off their helmets as one and even though the bridge between their mind is disconnected, Haruka still feels Michiru in her head, in her body, in her _soul._

"Haruka."

"Michiru."

They say each other's names because they aren't sure that they're really there at all and when they return to base it's all they can do to make it through their medical check and to fall into bed together. They curl against one another and they sleep together. They dream together.

Haruka is told that theirs is the longest drift in history. That the scientists are surprised they can even think separate thoughts-that they haven't collapsed in on themselves.

"How? How are you still you?"

Haruka hasn't got a proper answer for them. So she shrugs in the doorway of their quarters, still tired to the core from the day before. She makes something up.

"I listened for the piano. That was me. The violin's Michiru. That's how."

It's utter bullshit-and the scientist is about to ask another question, but Haruka slams the door shut in his face and turns back to Michiru, who sits on their bed with her sketchbook in her lap. Her hands are shaking. Haruka kneels before her, taking Michiru's smaller hands in her own.

"Are you alright?"

"I am fine-"

"You can't lie to me Michiru. I can _feel _it in your mind, I-"

Michiru squeezes her hands and Haruka falls silent. Michiru plays with her fingers for a long moment, and her fingers are cold against Haruka's warmth. Haruka has never seen her partner so shaken. She waits. She can wait for Michiru forever.

"That thing you said to them. About the piano. And the violin," Michiru's voice is hushed, "When we were finished-before they cut the line-I," Michiru chokes on the words, and Haruka wants to gather her in her arms but she knows better than to do that. "I was watching you play piano, Haruka," she whispers, and Haruka's eyes widen-because she hasn't played the piano in years, "It was such a beautiful moment and you looked so happy that I-I just couldn't bear to leave that warmth."

"Michiru…" Haruka squeezes Michiru's hands in one of her own and then uses the other to cup the back of her partner's head to bring forward. Her lips press to Michiru's forehead in a long kiss before she tucks Michiru against her chest, "I'm sorry. I wasn't focusing enough-I must have snapped the connection -"

"No Haruka. _I _chased the rabbit. On purpose. I wanted to see something. If what I felt during the drift was true-if we were really a duet," Michiru argues, and pushes Haruka away. Her eyes are filled with tears, and her fingers curl around Haruka's shirt, "Haruka-why won't you touch me?"

Haruka's throat closes up and the excuses die in her mouth before they can leave it. She knows in her heart _why_ she hasn't-and Michiru knows it too. You don't swim around in each other's head for 18 hours without everything being ripped away. There were no secrets and yet-

_I wonder if she can feel how fucking scared I am._

"I don't really know."

Michiru rolls her eyes and tosses her drawing pad away. She grabs the front of Haruka's shirt again and yanks Haruka up to kiss her. She is _not_ the poised, calm pilot that the trainees look up to, nor is she the snarky co-pilot that Haruka is used to. This Michiru is hungry and raw and by _God_ she sure knows how to kiss.

They tumble to the bed and they don't need words for this because it's almost like drifting, and Haruka can't tell where she begins and Michiru ends and it doesn't matter because they're together in all ways possible now.

It's the year 2025 and they have been piloting Shaking Submerge for 9 years. She is one of the oldest Jaegers left-and despite having been fast when she was created-she is slow compared to the newest Mark 5 machines. Haruka and Michiru watch as they load their Jaeger into the bay behind their quarters and Haruka frowns.

"They're saying that this is it. This is all of us. Strange to be back in the Shatterdome, mmm?"

Michiru laughs and it's a sad thing because so many of their comrades are dead. The other pilots who graduated with them, their leader, and their friends. All gone. Only the strongest survived.

"Well, with us they shouldn't have to worry too much, mmm?" Michiru turns in Haruka's arms and reaches up to caress the side of her jaw, "Even with the new pilot team they're bringing in. We'll make it through this together."

Haruka leans down, grinning, "Well duh. A person doesn't drift for 18 hours straight to die like a wimp," she steals a kiss from Michiru and doesn't care a whit who sees because most everyone knows that these two are one person and to think of them otherwise is a very bad idea.

It's 2025, in Hong Kong. It's raining and there are _two fucking Kaiju_ in the bay and Michiru is reeling next to Haruka and her whole left side is a wall of pain because the damn beast has ripped off their beloved Jaeger's arm. There is a breach in the head and Haruka can feel the panic and fear begin to well up in both of their minds.

"You _fucker_!"

Haruka screams and her voice is hoarse as they are dragged under the sea they have been protecting for _Nine Years _and the leak is so great the chamber is filling up with water and _fuck-_

"Haruka-"

"Michiru-"

The water pressure breaks the wall and the chamber floods and the panic closes in around her but they're still _connected_ and so for the first time-as Haruka reaches blindly for her partner-she chases the rabbit.

She sees them meeting, a lifetime ago when all they knew were that they were both Japanese.

She relives their first dialogue-the first time they drift-being presented their Jaeger-

_Nights where it was just them and the sheets and music and laughter and love-_

_Painting the music notes over Shaking Submerge's chest and laughing when Setsuna yells at them for sneaking onto the bridge. _

_A duet performed once-just the two of them. It's the most beautiful thing Haruka has ever heard and her heart is just overflowing with Michiru, Michiru, __**Michiru-**_

Then her connection is broken and Michiru is no longer there in her mind and she panics because after living with her in her head for so long-not having her there sends her into a frenzy, but finally she realizes she's holding someone's hand. As her vision fails her, she smiles. One final moment-the rabbit flashes in her mind.

_They are in their bunk, naked. Michiru is in her lap with her back pressed to Haruka's front and they are just enjoying the moment when Haruka speaks._

"_Hey, Michiru."_

"_Yes, Haruka?"_

"_How do you suppose we'll go out?" _

"_Well, if I had my way Haruka, we would never 'go out'," Michiru turns in her arms and she smiles. She wraps her arms around Haruka's neck and their foreheads touch, "But if we must go-we'll go the way we do everything. Together."_

"_Together or not at all. I like it," Haruka's grin is feral and she captures Michiru's lips and lays her to the bed. When they break apart Michiru laughs._

"_Well, we've certainly earned a break, mm? Let's take this slowly-it's only us tonight."_

_Haruka laughs and holds Michiru tight and it's like they're in a drift and then-_

The two pilots of Shaking Submerge's vitals drop from the screen and the Jaeger sinks to the bottom of the bay, her pilots locked in embrace as they fall with her.

* * *

I also envision these two having these really awesome matching jackets-which is something I didn't mention in here. They're these super sleek stretchy blazers with their Jaeger name on the back of them with some cool design. Michiru has her's tailored to look good with just about any dress/skirt and Haruka rolls the sleeves on her's up to the elbow and they swagger around and it generally looks pretty awesome.

I hope that maybe enticed a few of you to go and watch Pacific Rim (again)! And maybe now I'll finally be able to finish OWaS. (hahaha…) thank you as usual for reading-you're all darling folk-really. Reviews are great too-but the whole reading thing is just top notch, I gotta say.


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